Pearly Whites and Winter Lights
by Penderghast
Summary: A series of drabbles and vignettes chronicling the growing relationship between Jack and Tooth, two teenagers coming of age among friends in the small town of Burgess, Pennsylvania over the course of one year. AU, for obvious reasons
1. Pearly Whites

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Summary: A series of drabbles and vignettes chronicling the growing relationship between Jack and Tooth, two teenagers coming of age among friends in the small town of Burgess, Pennsylvania over the course of one year. AU, for obvious reasons.

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**_Book One: Fons_**

**Pearly Whites**

"All I'm saying is that it's something to consider. It doesn't make or break the deal, Jack! Jeez."

The two of them had been walking home together from school. Spring had finally come to Burgess, Pennsylvania, and Tooth had decided to celebrate by wearing her favorite sundress. Jack would be lying if he said he hadn't admired seeing the olive hue of her legs for the first time all year.

This did not mean, however, that he remained convinced.

"And all I'm saying is that it's unrealistic. Most people aren't born with amazing teeth."

"Hmm," she nodded, "I see your point. It's too bad there doesn't seem to exist some sort of profession wherein one could be paid to clean and align teeth. You know, for a living?"

Jack laughed, hoisting his backpack up over his shoulders."Now you're just being a brat."

Tooth smiled. Dimples peeked out at her cheeks. He pretended not to notice the sway of her hips as she walked.

"It's just a personal preference," she explained, "I'm not going to take a drill to the mouth of the next guy I date. I just like really nice teeth. It's cute."

"Tooth, you have ridiculously high standards when it comes to dental care. No offense."

"Alas, if I have to spend eternity shackled to the chains of spinsterish loneliness in the search for a perfect smile, so be it." she bowed he head solemnly, trying not to giggle at her own joke.

"No one's teeth are that perfect!" he exclaimed, "Except for, like, celebrities and underwear models."

A pause. Tooth glanced down at the pavement. "Well, your teeth are pretty nice, actually."

"Oh?" he sighed, looking away, simultaneously embarrassed and elated.

She remained silent. Jack could feel his ears reddening at the tips, flushing with color and heating his whole face up.

"Thanks."


	2. Balushahi

**Pearly Whites and Winter Nights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Balushahi**

Tooth and Jack, just the two of them, alone on a Friday night.

Scratch that; Tooth and Jack, plus six dozen Indian donuts that needed to be ready for her sister's birthday party tomorrow morning.

"Remind me why we need yogurt?" he asked, wrinkling his nose at the carefully measured ingredients.

"We need it to incorporate the batter. Otherwise it won't stick."

"Okay, but do I mix it with my fingers or should I use a spoon or what?"

"Just give it to me," she snapped. Tooth was in an uncharacteristically sour mood, and Jack had never been much help in the kitchen.

"This is really more Bunny's thing," he complained, snatching some pistachios off the marble counter and popping them in his mouth,"Why isn't he here again?"

"Don't eat all the garnish!" she implored. Her hands blended the butter into the dough the way her naanii had taught her, with great care not to knead it in too much. Beside her, Jack eyed a pan of boiling sugar warily. He really was too cute for his own good. Otherwise, she might have scolded him more harshly.

"And where exactly did Sandy and North run off to?"

"Some new video game came out this morning, so they're standing in line at the mall to pick it up. Aster's at a track meet against Westville. Here, stop loafing and help me shape these into little balls, will you?"

Jack regarded her, eyebrows arched in suspicion. "You want me to help? Seriously?"

"I'm afraid so."

He paused, weighing his options. "What about last time? With the platter of potato rolls? You said I wasn't allowed near your cooking ever again."

Tooth did remember. Four hours of frying cumin wasted as her beautiful dish tumbled to the dining room floor. She still hadn't fully forgiven Jack for that one.

"Circumstances out of my control have forced me to reconsider your exile."

He stood for a moment eyeing her, hands shoved deep into his pants pockets. Finally, he settled for a smile. That boy had a monopoly on nice smiles, she hated to admit. "Alright, just don't blame me when all of Sashi's friends keel over from food poisoning tomorrow."

"Even if they did, she wouldn't care." Tooth professed, working the dough under her fingers again "My sister has the biggest crush on you".

Cheeks reddened, Jack came over and stood beside her.

"We just have to fry them up, right?"

"Right," she nodded, carefully arranging each piece on a plate.

"They're kinda cute, actually," he leaned in closer to inspect, "Like little mini doughnuts." Tooth turned back to stir the the rose syrup in the pot before it overheated.

That was when she heard it. Of all things, a sneeze.

Jack's sneeze to be exact. All over her uncooked sweets.

Tooth saw his face slowly turn back towards her, horrified; hoping beyond hope she hadn't noticed.

"I'm sorry!"

"Jack! That's disgusting!"

"It's not my fault!" he pleaded, hands shooting up in the air. "It wasn't on purpose, I swear!" As his arms reached out to placate her he managed to accidentally knock over the pistachio bowl. It hit the ground, shattering, and scattered glass shards all over the kitchen floor.

Tooth groaned, burying her head in her hands. Across the room, her cooking had started to burn.


	3. Fist of Hate, Tiger of Vengeance

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Fist of Hate, Tiger of Vengeance **

Onscreen, a man's heart was being ripped out of his bare chest by a tattooed woman in black. Jack's best guess was that she must have been the villain, but the lack of subtitles made it hard to tell.

"Why did he not run?" North exclaimed, hands waving frantically in the air. North was not well-versed in movie logic.

Aster rolled his eyes. To say he didn't appreciate the Russian's commentary on his favorite B-movie epic was kind of a gross understatement.

"He was caught off guard, you fruit loop. Now keep watching, the best part's coming up."

Beside Jack, Tooth squirmed uncomfortably. Small hands covered her face, eyes barely peeking out through her fingers.

"You okay?" he asked, turning to her.

She nodded feebly. The next minute, however, the woman in black turned towards her guards holding the still-beating organ in her bloody hand and let out a cackle of triumph. Afterwards, a boom. From the opposite end of her palace, the hero and his companions had knocked her golden double doors wide open. Tooth dodged her head down.

Jack looked past her to Sandy, snoring in an old La-Z-boy, and then back the opposite side to North, sitting beside him but still distracted by the movie. Quietly, he slipped his arm around her shoulder, drawing her nearer. Tooth buried her face in the crook of his neck.

For the next two minutes the fight scene played out. In the film, the villainess had drawn out her gilded sabre and pointed it menacingly at the warrior group. On her command an army of ninjas arose from the shadows, threatening them.

Jack could see the crappy wirework attached to the woman's waist as she flew throughout the set, but in the interest of personal safety he kept his mouth shut.

"Dodge! Dodge and slice the witch woman, nameless hero!" North had risen up from the couch, arms flailing so much he almost hit his head on the ceiling of his parent's den.

"Sock her in the jaw!" came Aster's enthusiastic plea.

"Not exactly your kind of movie, is it?" he whispered down at her.

Tooth's laugh was muffled by his sweater. Jack smiled.

**Hey guys! Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all the follows and fav. Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome, especially when it comes to writing style or characterization. I try to write these things daily, but on average you should expect a few up every week or so. **


	4. Bookworms

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Bookworms**

Three hours into their cram session and they still couldn't name all the essential aspects of the French Revolution. Tooth was beginning to think it was hopeless.

"When was that document written again?" she asked, absently chewing on her nail and trying her best to ignore her cellphone.

"Which one? There's at least eighty of them."

"The first one, with the rights of Man and everything."

Jack, currently sprawled on her comforter, furrowed his brow in thought. Paging through his textbook, he looked almost as confused as she did. Tooth's stomach churned uneasily. She didn't particularly enjoy feeling unprepared, especially for an exam.

"It says here it was approved on August 26, 1789." he read, eyes scanning the paragraph, "and that while it was an important document on natural laws and universal rights, it by no means served to prevent or curb the atrocities that took place during the Reign of Terror."

"Thanks."

"Did you absorb any of that?" he asked.

"Nope," she replied, leafing through her copy's glossary, "but it was worth a shot."

Jack shook his head, laughing. His dark hair was getting long, she noticed.

"There's no way I'll get all this by tomorrow," she admitted, ruffling through her bag for another pencil, "I should just drop out and join the circus already."

"What would you even do there?" he replied, indulging her. Tooth looked up from her notes, meeting his gaze.

"I don't know. Clean up the elephant dung? Sell popcorn? Basically anything except the study of 18th century European history."

"You?" his eyebrows raised, unconvinced. "You're the smartest person I know, Tooth. Why would you do that?"

"Not true," she retorted, but the smile had crept up on her face before she could help it. Tooth buried her nose back in her textbook.

"Seriously, you could do anything with your life," he professed, eyes still locked on her.

"Shut up." Tooth felt warm. Her fingers fiddled nervously with the page she was supposed to be reading.

"Now if you'd only do my biology essay for me, you'd be a frickin genius."

Tooth's textbook playfully flew across her bedroom. Jack dodged, barely.

**Hey guys! I just wanted to take this opportunity and thank you all for the wonderful reviews I've received for story so far. They're all so thoughtful and kind, and they really inspire me to keep on writing. I hope I can continue to tell this story relatively well enough for you guys, and I'm open to any suggestions or ideas you might have :)**


	5. Hyacinth Girl

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Hyacinth Girl**

Truth be told, Jack was no fan of spring. Not only did it mark the end of his favorite season, but his allergies always started acting up around this time of the year. Plus, he hated the heat.

That's why he hadn't originally expected Tooth to show up at his house, arms full to bursting with flowers, biting her lip. Jack's heart hammered in his chest.

She had bought them for his family at the farmers market earlier that morning. Setting them down on his counter, she filled his mother's porcelain vase up with tap water before turning to him.

"Help me arrange them, will you?"

"They're purple." he stated, rather uselessly.

"They're hyacinths. First ones this season," she smiled at him.

Jack nodded, noticing the violet tint in her eyes in the harsh kitchen light. His hands fumbled with the rubber band wrapped around the bouquet.

Tooth was better at this sort of thing than he was, so he just handed her each flower as she placed them within the pot. They were quiet for a while. Jack's throat felt strangely dry.

"My mom's going to love this," he offered finally, looking over at her. Had her lashes always been this full?

"I hope so."

"Oh, she will. She thinks you're practically part of the Frost clan anyways."

"I'm not imposing, am I?" Tooth's voice had a lilt to it, kind of like a songbird.

"What? No, of course not," his eyes locked on hers, "She loves having you over. Sarah does too." Deep breath. "So do I."

She bowed her head, pleased but embarrassed all the same. Jack realized at that moment how strange it was feeling this way. Having his stomach in knots, itching to see her smile. Everything felt charged in that moment between them, buzzing with the aura of possibility and anticipation; He could hardly stand still.

He looked at Tooth and was reminded of her hyacinths, the fat bulbs surrounded by curling purple petals.

Purple like the violet in her eyes.

Their hands brushed as he handed her a flower. Jack's fingers lingered afterwards, reaching out towards hers.


	6. Egg Hunt

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Reviews are always appreciated :)**

**Egg Hunt**

Ten in the morning and Tooth had already seen a fourth grader toss their cookies into a mulberry bush from too much sugar. She was beginning to question the validity of Easter as a holiday. The fact that half of these kids would be at her mother's office in the next few weeks with cavities didn't help.

Aster didn't help either, to be honest.

"Have you seen Frosty and the ankle-biters around?" he asked, handing out eggs to some of the smaller participants in Culver park's annual egg hunt. Aster had coordinated most the events for today. Tooth might have actually been impressed had he not roped her into volunteering with him.

"No idea," she answered. Ahead of her, two boys had started pelting peppermints at one another. She sighed. Her legs hurt from chasing after toddlers.

"Keep a lookout, then. I'd bet my left foot that dipstick's been snooping around my googies."

"Aster, it's a egg hunt. Aren't people supposed to look for them?"

"Not Frost," he protested, tan arms hoisting a burlap sack over his shoulders, "I'm going to find Sandy and help him hide these beauties down by the grove. Let me know if you see him."

"Will do, commandant." Tooth muttered miserably. Aster strode off, a merry swagger in his step. She rolled her eyes.

Tooth had already started picking up bits of trash strewn across the lawn when she looked up and saw them; Jack, striding towards her, Sashi seated on top of his shoulders, beaming. Beside them, Sarah skipped towards Tooth, struggling to keep all their goodies from tumbling out of her flowered wheelbarrow.

"Toothie! We found so many eggs! Jack helped us swipe them right from under Aster's nose!" She turned back towards her brother, panting. "Didn't you, Jack?"

Jack finally approached, hoisting her sister off of his back before flashing a naughty grin. Tooth's arms remained firmly crossed, yellow sandals tapping against the walkway.

"It wasn't exactly a swipe," his eyes gleamed mischievously at her, "more like a secret discovery of sorts." Tooth resisted the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"You realize Aster already knows it was you guys who did it?" she shook her head, chewing on her cheek in an effort to look serious.

"Crocodile Dundee needs to lighten up," Jack insisted, brushing bits of grass off his sweatshirt, "He takes this holiday way too seriously anyway."

"You guys took like a hundred eggs" she pointed out.

"He hid at least three hundred more in the rest of the park. The guy's obsessed, I tell you."

"Is he really upset?" Sarah asked, her face falling a bit. Jack plucked the bunny ears from Sashi's head and planted them on his own. He looked adorable, but Tooth would rather suffer a thousand root canals before she'd admit it out loud.

"Who cares?" he drawled, cracking open a plastic egg and popping its contents into his mouth, "We totally owned that egg hunt."

Sarah frowned, fiddling guiltily with the ribbons on her Easter basket. Sensing her distress, Jack pulled his sister closer to whisper into her ear. After a moment, she nodded. Letting go of him, Sarah reached into her wheelbarrow.

"I got you something," she told Tooth, pushing aside jelly beans and candy bar wrappers in her search, "I was wearing it before, but Jack said it would look nice on you too."

Turning to Tooth with a newfound smile on her face, she pulled out a shiny plastic crown, complete with purple rosebuds. Jack stifled his laugh.

"Wow," was all Tooth could manage. Her arms uncrossed. How could she say no to an eight year old without sounding like a jerk?

"You'll look like an Easter princess!" Sashi giggled.

"Here, my lady," he stated seriously, snatching the crown from his sister's hands, "let me fix it on for you."

Jack came nearer, closing in the distance between them. Tooth's breath caught. Gravely, almost reverently, he tucked a stand of dark curl behind her ear. Setting the crown down on her head, he paused, looking at her. Tooth's toes wiggled.

"Frost! There you are, you galah!"

Aster, cropped black hair and tattooed arms, Sandy in tow. Looking more than a little pissed, she realized.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" he asked, looking back from the Aussie to her.

"A bit, I'm afraid."

Jack took her hand in his own. Planting a soft kiss on her palm, he looked up at her once more, "Until we meet again, my queen."

Releasing her hand, he turned cheerfully to face his fuming friend, head still decked out in her sister's fluffy bunny ears. Tooth felt lightheaded. Her pulse pounded a little staccato beat throughout her body, filling her cheeks up with color.


	7. What Remained

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Reviews are always appreciated :)**

**What Remained**

"Tell me why we're dressed like ninjas again?"

"Be careful with these branches." Jack warned, wading his way through a particularly dense thicket and ignoring her previous question. Behind him, he could hear Tooth's boots shuffling clumsily through the tall grass.

"You better not be dragging me all the way out here to rob some lame artifact."

"Stop flattering yourself. If I actually wanted to steal something I'd bring Sandy. You're too much of a loudmouth."

"I am not!"

"Shh!" he hissed, turning back towards her.

"Not fair." Tooth grumbled, lowering her tone to a harsh little whisper. Jack knocked aside a wooden plank. Ahead of them, the trees gave away to a field. In the distance, a great behemoth of a barn barely stood, crumbling in on itself. The night air smelled of earth and decay.

"After you, my queen." he gestured, spreading his arms out exuberantly. Tooth looked uncertain, to say the least.

"I don't know, Jack. This place doesn't look structurally sound."

"That's the whole point!" he groaned, shining his flashlight on the chipping red paint of the abandoned building. It looked scary, but that just made him all the more eager to sneak in. "You're coming with me, right?"

Beside him, he could hear Tooth sucking her breath in. She shuffled for a bit from one foot to the other. Jack squinted, trying to see her expression amidst the darkness.

"Alright," she answered, exhaling loudly.

Silently, the two of them made their way through the stretch of land, sidestepping old soda cans and plastic bags until they reached the front of the dilapidated ruin. Its doors had previously been pried open by the elements and now stood bulging like a cavernous mouth, ready to swallow them whole.

"You good?"

"Uh huh." Tooth whispered, this time softer. Jack grabbed ahold of her hand and led her inside.

The barn was empty that evening, the wind whistling through its old holes and hollows. The foundation creaked. Hay was scattered over the dirt surface, cushioning their steps as they ventured deeper in. Jack thought it looked awfully cool. He kept his digits laced with Tooth's, however. In case she was scared, of course.

"It's not so bad after all," she decided, snatching his flashlight and shining it over the building's various nooks and crannies, "I just don't really understand the appeal for you."

"I like abandoned places. I like to see what happens to the things we leave behind." he admitted, pale fingers running through his hair, "What remains."

A moment passed. Tooth held his gaze, searching for something. Finally, she nodded.

"I like this place," she said, "it's kind of beautiful." The two of them sat on the floor. She scooted closer to him.

The stars shone down on Jack and Tooth through the rotting remains of the collapsed roof. She laid her head on his shoulder, and Jack could smell the fragrance in her hair, like some fancy flower he couldn't name. Shadowed in the skeleton of the great old barn, they looked up at the sky, and for a while were silent.


	8. Somnium Lucidus

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Reviews are always appreciated :)**

**Alright ****lovelies, be warned. This is a T rated chapter, and therefore a wee bit suggestive. Also, this one goes out to StandBiMe, an awesome writer and friend :)**

**Somnium Lucidus**

Legs entangled, they kissed. Jack, chapped lips rough against Tooth's mouth, pressing against her. She could hardly breathe. Beneath her favorite sundress, her heart raced like some ragged, desperate thing. His fingers stroked at the hem, toyed with the silky turquoise material.

"You smell nice." he murmured into her skin, nuzzling her collarbone with his face. His touch felt cool and dry to her. Tooth squirmed underneath him, giggling.

"Stop! Jack, you're making me laugh."

His response, whatever it was, was muffled by the soft strokes of his lips on her neck as he began kissing her anew. Tooth sighed. Something stirred deep inside of her; dull and warm, it spread its way across her tummy.

Beneath the tug of her fingers, Jack's back arched. His hips were now undeniably near Tooth's own, pulling her under with the tide of his body.

Forms crashing into one another like waves, wearing away the bedrock of her senses. She kissed him again, hard on the mouth. He smiled wickedy in response. His slacks felt soft against her knees

Tooth bit her lip, threw her head back. Her hair lay sprawled out around her, a dark halo against the hardwood floor.

"Is this okay?" his voice was a soft hiss in her ear, eager but insecure. Goosebumps rose up along her arms. Tooth lifted her head, looked upon his face. Jack's eyes; light brown ringed with hazel, blinking at her. She nodded, leaned forward until their foreheads met, and exhaled nervously.

He responded by burying his features in the crook of her shoulder, pecking the spot she had bruised last week during ballet practice. The feeling in the pit of Tooth's stomach returned with vigor, clouding out everything else around her. She ran her nails down the back of his shirt, gripping his shoulders.

Tooth leaned back. She closed her eyes, sighing. She opened them again.

Instead of a nameless room, she was now lying in her own bed, pink comforter and all. Instead of Jack's voice, it was her alarm clock that sounded off its obnoxious monotone ring, threatening to wake her whole family up. Her arms reached out to her nightstand, muting it. She felt groggy.

Minutes passed. Downstairs, her father could soon be heard frying eggs on a skillet for their breakfast. Across the hall, Sashi had her favorite awful brand of pop music blasting in the shower.

Tooth blinked, rubbing her aching head. The sheets still clung to the sweat on her legs as she lay in bed, ensnared in a net of her own muddled thoughts.

She sat up, finally, and shook herself awake. Walking over to her vanity, she began to comb out the first of many knots in her hair. School started in less than two hours and she still needed to wash up, not to mention print out her book report for Mr. Fritz's American literature class.

In the back of her mind, a pair of dark eyes gazed out, clinging hazily to the memory of her dream. She pushed them away and out of thought, choosing instead to focus on more practical matters at hand.

**Author's Note: I just wanted to take a moment and thank all of you guys for the awesome reviews you've written, as well as your continued support for this story. It's great to see people are invested in this cute little pairing as I am, and I have loved and appreciated all the feedback you've provided me. Stay awesome until the next update :)****  
**


	9. Paper Flowers

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Reviews are always appreciated :)**

**Paper Flowers**

Friday nights for Jack were usually spent playing board games with his friends before driving around in an old pickup, aimlessly searching for places in Burgess they hadn't already explored. Such was the struggle of being stuck in a small town, he supposed. Sometimes, when they were feeling especially adventurous, they'd set out on foot through the windy Appalachian hills, armed only with a bottle of North's strongest vodka and Tooth's picnic blanket.

But alas, on this particular Friday Sarah had told him she needed help making something nice for her sick teacher. And since Jack had a hard time saying no to his sister for anything, the four of them ended up spending their first evening since grade school sprawled out in his mother's living room, doing (of all things) arts and crafts.

"Friends, I require more red." North announced from his work corner. His large hands twisted the petals on a poinsettia with surprising delicacy.

"Here ya go," Sarah answered, sliding some tissue paper over to him before turning back to work on her roses. "I have pipe cleaners too if you need some."

"_Spasibo_! Also, Tooth. The glitter, if you please?"

Tooth, hair knotted in a messy bun, looked up from her stack of violets. Jack smiled when he saw the marker stain on her cheek.

"Here ya go, big man." she handed him the bottle before turning to Sarah, "These flowers okay for you, cutie?"

"They're beautiful!" the nine year-old exclaimed, nodding her approval, "Ms. Blake will love them! She's at home with the flu right now, you know."

"Yours are okay, I guess." Jack interjected cooly, raising his eyebrows at Tooth, "Nothing special."

"Is that so, Jack?" Her eyes brightened. A sly smile played on her lips, popping her dimples out. Jack had a developed a ridiculous affinity for those dimples, he was ashamed to admit.

"Absolutely! You just drowned those buds in sparkles. It's lazy at best." He shrugged his shoulders, holding his own paper specimens up for her to see. "These here are quality work."

"_Drugh_, please!" The Russian beseeched him, deep voice booming across the living room. "This is not a competition, Jack. Although my flowers are clearly superior."

"Your flowers?" Aster, who had been quietly involved in his work the entire time, finally spoke up, "They're Christmas buds, North. We're not even in the bloody season!"

"It's the spirit of the sentiment, Bunny." North smiled, blue eyes twinkling. Beside him, Jack saw Tooth covering her mouth in order to muffle her giggles.

"I like Sandy's best, actually." Sarah professed, gesturing to the blond boy's pile of neat paper lilies. Sandy, ever the shy one, flushed several shades redder in response.

"Are you serious?" Jack asked his sister, head shaking. "His are only one color. They're almost as lame as Tooth's!"

Sarah shrugged in that noncommittal way that children do, already back to work. Jack groaned, defeated.

"Hold on," Tooth spoke up, plucking one of her flowers off the carpet. Turning towards Jack, she scooted nearer. His muscles tensed in response.

Biting her full lip, she wove a flower behind his ear. He was reminded of their egg hunt at the park a few weeks earlier and how he had placed Sarah's crown on Tooth's head, the curls spilling clumsily down her shoulders. He gulped, pulse pounding in his throat.

"Now you're the prettiest flower in the room," Tooth said, satisfied. Jack's jaw dropped. She wheeled back to her work, ignoring his scowl. Across from them, Aster sniggered.


	10. A Spring Fling

**Pearly Whites and Winter Lights**

Disclaimer: The closest thing I'll ever get to ownership of anything is a leased car and several pairs of colorful flats. Please don't sue me.

**Reviews are always appreciated :)**

**A Spring Fling**

The texts started coming in somewhere around 10:30 PM. Tooth had been sprawled out on her bedroom floor, hopelessly surrounded by Trigonometry notes, when Jack had messaged her from Burgess Central's Annual Spring Fling Dance.

_RESCUE REQUESTED OF TOOTHIANA MALHOTRA, QUEEN REGENT OF THE EASTER EGG HUNT._

Annoyed, she had ignored his initial plea, choosing instead to focus on some much needed logarithm problems. Her favorite blue blanket was currently wrapped around her waist, and she felt warm and sleepy despite the cool hardwood surface. On her bed above, music blasted out of her laptop speakers.

Three minutes later, however, Tooth's cellphone beeped again. She groaned loudly, flailing her legs in frustration. The message popped up brightly on her screen, unperturbed.

_SERIOUSLY, BUNNY'S STARTING TO TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS TRIBAL TATTOOS AGAIN. HELP ME!_

Defeated, Tooth reluctantly hopped up off the floor. Shaking her head, she shot back a response:

_Are you drunk?_

Less than a minute later her phone began to vibrate; Jack was calling her. Tooth reached over to her bed and muted the song that was currently playing. She picked up the receiver.

"This had better be good." she warned, pacing across the room, freshly painted toenails dodging colorful pillows and feathered cushions.

"I am not drunk," he affirmed, voice crackling through the static, "I am, however, horribly bored. Can I come over?"

"Are you serious? You have a date with you, Jack." Tooth's voice sounded tight and shrill over the line. She shot a glance back down at the floor, longingly staring at her half-finished homework.

"She ditched me for Aster an hour ago. Please? I promise I won't interrupt your cram jam, if that's what you're worried about."

"She ditched you?" Tooth asked, incredulous. "For Aster? How the hell did happen?"

"That's beside the point right now," Jack's voice cut in, brusquely. He sounded irked. "Just let me come over for a few minutes. I missed you tonight."

"Fine!" she hissed, exasperated. Palm on her forehead, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, "When can I expect you?"

"Now. Look outside."

Tooth hurried to her bedroom window, prying open the shutters to look down at North's red Jeep, crookedly parked in her driveway. A pair of arms waved up at her from the front seat. Inside the car, somebody honked the horn.

"How long were you guys out here?" she asked, leaning over the edge to get a better look below.

"About a minute, give or take. I'm coming up now."

Sure enough, in the next moment a passenger door popped open. Jack came out, hair disheveled, a black tie draped loosely over his shoulders. Seeing her at the window, he stoop up on tiptoes and stuck his hands up in the air, smiling broadly. Tooth tried her best to ignore the girlish tingle running up her arms.

"The front door's locked!" She yelled down, elbows propped on the sill. Outside, the night air felt brisk and still against her skin.

"Are your parents home?"

"Nope! They're out having dinner. Sashi's at a sleepover."

"Perfect!" the clear pearly whites of his smile did not escape her. Rushing downstairs to let him in, she felt strangely breathless. Fumbling with the keys, her fingers trembled nervously. Tooth put on her best scowl and opened the door.

"Howdy," Jack crowed. His toothy grin was even better up close. In his outstretched palm he now offered her up a crumpled green carnation, probably taken off his corsage from earlier.

"I thought Matilda was a nice girl." He'd told as much to her earlier in the week. Up until that moment, Tooth pretended she hadn't heard him say it.

"She is nice." he shrugged, head tilted sideways as if studying her in the doorway. "But is was weird. We didn't really have that much in common. Can I come in?"

"Sure. On the condition that you divulge every detail of the evening's activities, of course."

"Every agonizing second," Jack smirked, sticking the wrinkled little flower back in his suit pocket. He stepped over the threshold, following her inside.

"That bad, huh?" She hadn't meant to sound happy at his misfortune, but it wasn't exactly something she could help at this point.

"Let's just say the Bunny did me a favor when he whisked her away to the lake tonight."

"Oof!" she smiled, shamelessly pleased, "Now I have to know everything."

**Hey lovelies, sorry for the long wait between updates. I've actually been out of the country for the last two weeks, and will continue to hang out overseas until the end of May. I've also (unfortunately) lost my laptop on this trip, so chapters will take a little bit longer than usual to be posted. I have to borrow my boyfriend's computer in order to write for right now. Other than that, I'd just like to thanks you guys for your continued support and investment in this fic. I'm dividing this baby up into four different parts, each one named after a different season. The last little drabble concerning spring will actually be in the next update, and I've decided to further divide this story into eleven chapters per season, making 44 chapters in total :)**


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